County fair gets underway today

Head on over to Skamokawa this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to check out the Wahkiakum County Fair!

Entries are coming in and are looking pretty good, though the number of them is down a little this year, said Fair Manager Patty Dursteler.

“I can’t wait!” Dursteler said. “I’m excited everyday I walk out on the fairgrounds and think it’s looking more like a fair every day. It’s coming together nicely.”

There will be elephant ears, cotton candy, ice cream and more. The little ones can take pony rides and the always popular inflatables for the kids to climb, bounce, and play in might be there, though Dursteler wasn’t sure about the latter thing on Tuesday.

One more musical act has been added to Friday's festivities, when a band from Seattle, Nick and the Underdogs, will play from 12 p.m - 2 p.m.

“They sounded good on YouTube so I thought I would give them a try,” Dursteler said.

The annual salmon barbecue begins at noon on Saturday, and the Skamokawa Fire District will cut up a car in the park that day around 2:30 p.m.

A church is providing food at the Grange booth. A second booth will sell breakfasts, tacos, and more, and a third will have fresh corn on the cob, watermelon and more.

Visitors will also find fresh squeezed lemonade and kettle corn when they want to take a break from looking at animals as well as other entries from the open category and 4-H.

The Lions Club has organized a Blackout Bingo all three days of the fair with winners taking home a calf. There will be a game at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, 6 p.m. on Friday, and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

“That’s probably the biggest hit of the entire fair,” Dursteler said.

Entry is $7 for a preseason pass, $8 at the gate on Thursday. One day passes are $5 for adults, $3 for high school students, $2 for younger students, and children 5 and under are free.